Carlos Sainz handed three-place Spanish GP grid penalty for impeding Valtteri Bottas

Carlos Sainz will start the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix from 20th position after receiving a three-place grid penalty for impeding Valtteri Bottas during qualifying at Madring. The Williams driver had already been eliminated in Q1 after qualifying 17th, but the FIA stewards’ sanction will now send him further down the grid for his home Grand Prix.

The penalty followed an investigation into an incident involving Sainz and Bottas during the opening phase of qualifying. Valtteri Bottas was on a flying lap in his Cadillac when he encountered the slower Williams between Turns 6 and 7.

FIA confirms Carlos Sainz penalty after Spanish GP qualifying

The stewards heard from Carlos Sainz, Valtteri Bottas and representatives of both Williams and Cadillac before reaching their decision. They also examined video footage, timing data, radio communications and onboard footage as part of the investigation.

After reviewing the evidence, the FIA determined that Sainz had impeded Bottas between Turns 6 and 7 while the Cadillac driver was completing a timed lap.

According to the stewards’ findings, Williams did not inform Sainz that Bottas was approaching from behind to begin a flying lap. As a result, the Spanish driver did not take any action to move aside for car number 77.

Carlos Sainz drops from 17th to 20th on the Madrid grid

The stewards therefore concluded that Sainz had unnecessarily impeded Bottas, constituting a breach of Article B4.1.1 of the FIA Formula 1 regulations. The Williams driver was consequently handed a three-place grid penalty for the race.

Sainz had qualified 17th after being eliminated in Q1, meaning the sanction drops him to 20th on the Spanish Grand Prix starting grid. It adds another setback to what has already proved a difficult Madrid qualifying session for the home driver.

The penalty comes during Sainz’s first Madrid Grand Prix weekend with Williams, where he is racing in front of his home supporters after recently committing his long-term future to the team. He will now face an even more difficult recovery task when the race begins from the back of the field.